The Rural Voice, 1992-12, Page 62PERTH
John Drummond, President, R.R. 5, Mitchell NOK 1NO 347-2725
PCFA Office 229-6430
• The Rural Voice is provided to farmers
in Perth County by the PCFA.
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
Federation continues to work with politicians
Perth MPP Karen Haslam, mini-
ster of culture, visited five farms on
November 12, as part of constituency
week. Farms were chosen to repre-
sent a variety of commodities, with
minimal travel time between stops.
Cash crop, dairy, broiler and hog,
beef cow -calf, and cash crop with
layer hen farms were included in the
tour.
Main concerns raised were:
1. Crop insurance (a) low
participation rate due to flaws — eg.
only 55 per cent of Ontario corn crop
is insured (b) inability of farmers to
separate different parcels of land for
crop insurance coverage.
2. High levels of farm debt, and
increasing debt/equity ratios.
3. Interest rate uncertainty.
4. Uncertainty with GATT.
5. Difficulty for young farmers
entering the industry.
6. Education system.
7. Welfare system.
8. Difficulties in finding reliable
farm help.
9. Financial squeeze caused by
this year's crop conditions.
10. Declining value of GRIP ie.
premium vs. payouts based on 15
year sliding average price.
11. Amount of paperwork
involved with government programs.
Despite the difficulties, there was
also a sincere appreciation shown for
some current government assistance
programs. We do hope that future
government policy will reflect
consideration of the above issues.
Karen was reminded time and
time again that farming is a high
pressure, highly capitalized, and
increasingly high-tech business. She
went back to Toronto with a renewed
respect for the optimism and tenacity
of farmers in even the most frustrat-
ing of years. Factories may come and
go, but these farms in Perth County
will be here. Because of this stability
agriculture is still the key to
economic recovery in Ontario and
Canada.
As Mr. Vanhevel put it, "If
agriculture is thriving, the country
thrives."
Many thanks to the host farmers:
Warren and Bernadine Wolfe, Wayne
and Marie Wolfe, Ray and Pauline
White, John and Liz VanMoorsel,
Laverne and Audrey Gordner, Frank
and Elaine Vanhevel.
ETHANOL NOW
AVAILABLE IN PERTH
Ethanol gasoline is now available
in Perth County from Co-op outlets.
Farm delivery is also available. Etha-
nol enhanced gasolines can be used in
all engines currently burning unlead-
ed gasoline. Very little change in
performance should be observed, but
there are some significant benefits:
• 10 per cern ethanol blend will
reduce CO2 entering the atmosphere
by six to 10 per cent. More CO2 is
absorbed by crops grown to make
ethanol than is released by making
and using ethanol.
• A 10 per cent blend will reduce
carbon monoxide emissions as much
as 30 per cent.
• Corn, wheat and barley are the
crops of choice for ethanol product-
ion. Starches and sugars are used up
in the process, leaving a high quality
protein by product suitable for
livestock feeds.
• Positive net energy balance:
two to four times more energy is
obtained from ethanol combustion
than is required for its production.
• If all gasoline in Ontario
contained five to 10 per cent ethanol,
it would create a market for 1.6 to 3.2
million tonnes of corn.
• Ethanol can also be made from
"distressed", low quality grains.
• Price per litre is unchanged
from unleaded gasoline according to
Mitchell Co-op.
Widespread acceptance of ethanol
gasolines will be needed to ensure
their continued production and to
benefit farmers in a significant way.0
PERTH COUNTY
FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE
DECEMBER
MEETING
Thursday December 17, 1992
Downie Mutual Fire Insurance
Office, Sebringville
8:30 p.m.
All members welcome to
attend
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